Cross collectors for multiple packaging



May 10, 1966 Filed Jan. 6, 1964 A. J. GRINER ETAL CROSS COLLECTORS FOR MULTIPLE PACKAGING 7 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS ARTHUR J. GRINER ROBERT J. ALBRECHT PATENT AG'T.

May 10, 1966 A. J. GRINER ETAL 3,250,376

CROSS COLLECTORS FOR MULTIPLE PACKAGING Filed Jan. 6, 1964 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 A m E m e m i 65 T lcllb- 54 A -65 r T 1 ELIJC W a, @j Wk F 1E 57 A6 1 r T a g M 6 fig INVENTORS ARTHUR J. GRINER ROBERT J. ALBRECHT PATENT AGT.

May 10, 1966 A. J. GRINER ETAL CROSS COLLECTORS FOR MULTIPLE PACKAGING 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Jan. 6, 1964 INVENTORS ARTHUR J. GRINER ROBERT J. ALBRECHT PATENT AGT.

May 10, 1966 3,250,376

A. J. GRINER ETAL CROSS COLLECTORS FOR MULTIPLE PACKAGING Filed Jan. 6, 1964 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTORS ARTHUR J. GRINER ROBERT J. ALBRECHT PATENT AG'T.

'7 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTORS ARTHUR J. GRINER ROBERT J. ALBRECHT ATENT AGT A. J. GRINER ETAL CROSS COLLECTORS FOR MULTIPLE PACKAGING Filed Jan. 6, 19 4 May 10, 1966 A. J. GRINER ETAL 3,250,376

CROSS CQLLECTQRS FOR MULTIPLE PACKAGING Filed Jan. 6, 1964 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 ARTHUR J. GRINER ROBERT J. ALBRECHT PATENT AG'T'.

y 1966 A. J. GRINER ETAL 3,250,376

GROSS COLLECTORS FOR MULTIPLE PACKAGING Filed Jan. 6, 1964 7 Sheets-Sheet 7 INVENTORS ARTHUR J. GRINER ROBERT JALBRECHT PATENT AGT.

United States Patent 9 3,250,376 CROSS COLLECTORS FORMULTIPLE PACKAGING Arthur J. Griner, Vykotf, and RobertJ. Albrecht, River Edge, N.J., assignors to National Biscuit Company, a corporation of New Jersey Filed Jan, 6,1964, Ser, No. 335,894 I 17 Claims. (Cl. 198-35) The present invention relates to an apparatusfor assemb'ling packagedarticles, particularly biscuit and crackers, in unit groups for cartoning and has specific reference to an apparatus which facilitates sliding of unit layers ofthe packages into position over the tops of similar units to accumulate a unit group of such packages.

It is now common practice in the biscuit and cracker industry to wrap biscuits and crackers in so called fractional or multiple type packages. This type of packaging enables the consumer to open and reclose a carton many times without losing theoriginal flavor and crispness of the pack contents. By opening one individual-1y. sealed pack at a time, theremaining packs in the 'carton areheld individually sealed packs of edible articles such as biscuits or crackers in a continuous procession of superposed groups preparatory to enclosing the group in a common wrapper or carton.

Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of the above character which will operate at a relatively high speed upon wrapped packages containing fragile or misplacing or tearing the wrappers in which the packs are individually enclosed.

A further object of the invention isto synchronize the operations of a wrapping machine and a cat-toning machine so that the wrapped packages may be loaded in cartons in one continuous and automatic operation without employing intervening hand operations.

A more detailed object is to synchronize a wrapping machine and a carton loader through the use of an intermediate conveyor which is associated in a novel manner with the machines and operates in timed relation with both the wrapping machine and the cartoning machine.

It is a further object of the present invention to stack packages in a paired arrangement so that they will fit snugly into a carton and will be guarded against breakage.

It is a still further object of the invention to accumulate packages in such a manner that they can be fed to an assembling means which arranges the packages in the paired arrangement above referred to so that they can be fed rapidly and without any interference with the continuous operation of the conveying means upon which the packages are carried.

A still further object of the invention is to accumulate the packages in a continuous operation; then arrange them in stacked paired relation for transfer to another conveying means in their stacked paired relation without jarring or damage and to propel the paired packages in 3,250,376 Patented May 10, 1966 stacked relation out of the arranging means and into a transport unit that will place them in position to be encased in. a carton.

Further objects are to provide a package accumulator that coacts with a conveyor means and operates in timed unison with an'assembly means which operatesto change the direction of travel of the packages after't-hcy are automatically stacked in paired relation in the assembly means; to provide'a safety means in connection with the assembler so that the machine may be stopped, or'a' signal given, when any interference to free normal operation of the assembly means is'enc'ountered; and to provide novel pushing means that compensates for the vertical spacing of "the pairs o f packages as they are moved from the assembly means and are dropped a short distance during the stackingoperation and moving action.

Wit-h these and other objects inview, the invention comprises certain constructions hereinafter described and then particularly pointed out in the claims and a preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which;

FIGURE 1 is a view in side elevation of a section of a machine for handling packs of crackers and illustrates the means for accumulating the packs and altering the direction of travel thereof after they have been assembled,

FIGURES 1A through 1F show, in step by step operation, how the packages are advanced to an accumulating means preparatory to being assembled for advancement to a cartoning section of the machine.

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of that section of the machine shown in FIGUREl and illustrates a change of direction feed means which advances a group of packages after they have been assembled,

FIGURE 3 is a vertical section taken on the line 33 of, FIGURE 1 showing the relation of the operating mechanisms for the various parts of the machine,

FIGURE 4 is a cross sectional view in elevation taken on the line 4-4 of. FIGURE 2 and shows the crosscollector for, advancing assembled packages,

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged section on the line 55 of FIGURE 4 showing the structure of a pusher means used in the cross-collector,

FIGURE 6 is a section taken on the line 66 of FIG- URE 5 showing the structure and operation of one pusher means,

FIGURES 6A through 6D show successive steps in the operation of a pusher and illustrate the use of the pad portions on the pusher to lower and vertically align packs in place onto a bed plate,

FIGURE 7 is a plan view of parts of the elevator operator including a safety mechanism incorporated therein,

FIGURE 8 is a side view of the operator taken on the line 88 of FIGURE 7 to show the relative position of the parts when the elevator is rising,

FIGURE 9 is a section on the line 99 of FIGURE 8 showing the relative position of the parts in normal operation,

FIGURE 10 is a view similar to FIGURE 8 showing the parts in an elevator lowering position, and

FIGURE 10A is a view similar to FIGURE 10 showing the separation of the parts and operation of a safety microswitch when movement of the elevator is obstructed.

Referring to the drawings in detail and in particular to FIGURES 1 to 4, 10 indicates the lower side plates of a conveyor or machine frame 11 which also includes lat- :ral upper spaced plates 12 for the support of certain operating parts of the machine. Suitable brackets 13 are also included in the general frame of the machine for the support of conveyor belt tracks 14 along which travel conveyor belts 15 carrying wrapped packs or sealed packages 16 of crackers which are fragile and must be manipulated with care in passage through the various machine stations. The station before the one illustrated in FIG- URE 1 is a spacing station, not shown, and the packs 16 are conveyed therefrom by a conveyor belt 15A to be continued in their travel by a conveyor belt 15 of the present invention which constitutes a stacking and assembly means preparatory to putting the assembled packs of a four square arrangement into a cardboard carton.

Referring to FIGURES 1 and 2, a shaft 17 journalled in side plates 10 supports two sprocket gear sleeves 18 and 19 as well as a belt pulley 21 over the latter of which travels the conveyor belts 15A. A sprocket wheel 22 is driven by chain 23 from a \main source of power, not shown, and through the sleeve 18 drives sprocket wheel 24 which, through chain 26, drives sprocket wheel 27 and cross shaft 28 mounted in suitable brackets 29 on one of the upper plates 12 and from which shaft a cross collector or transfer unit 31 is operated through a set of bevel gears 32 and a unit shaft 33. The latter is journalled in the side plates 12 and at its end beyond one plate 12 passes through a cam plate and sprocket guide 34 (FIGURE 4), said shaft being suitably secured to the hub 36 of a chain link sprocket 37. A pair of laterally spaced link chains 38, moving in the direction shown in FIGURE 4, travel along suitable tracks 39 and 41 in the cam plate 34 and in an outer track member 42, respectively (FIGURES 1, 2, 4 and The track member 42 is mounted on the frame plates 12 through the medium of studs 43. The

purpose of the cross collector 31 is to transfer a plurality of assembled units or pairs of packs 16, at right angles to their direction of travel, to another conveyor 44 leading to a carton filling unit of the machine, not shown. While it has not been shown, the conveyor belts 15 and their associated parts may be duplicated at the opposite side of the conveyor 44 to increase the capacity of the machine in feeding stacked packs 16 to the cartoning section.

Referring to FIGURES 1 and 2 it will be seen that the drive from shaft 17 through sprocket wheels 45, 46, 47 and 48 by a common sprocket chain 49 operates a cam shaft 51 and belt propelling rolls 52 and 53 for travel of the conveyor belts 15 over their idlers 54 to advance the packs 16 from the conveyor belt 15A to an elevator mechanism 56, to be later described. As before noted, the packs 16 are fed in spaced relation along belts 15A and 15 to engage a stop means 57 which comprises a pivoted bell crank arm 58, carrying at its free end a stop plate 59, which moves up between the laterally spaced conveyor belts 15 to arrest the travel of two successive packs 16 so that they will come into abutting relation, behind the stop plate 59, which then moves down to permit the travel of the twin packs together to the elevator 56. The stop means 57 includes a cam crank arm 61, coupled to the belt crank 58 by an adjustable connector 62, and having a roller 63 engaging the periphery of a cam 66 secured to the shaft 51. The cam is designed to actuate the stop plate -59 in proper unison with the travel of the packs 16 in order that two will accumulate behind the stop plate 59 before release to the elevator. In the FIGURES 1A through 1F the sequence of this operation is graphically illustrated.

In FIGURES 1A, 1B and the accumulation of two packs 16 is shown behind the raised stop plate 59, which lowers to let the two packs be fed by the conveyor onto the upper deck or level 64 of an elevator lift 65, when the elevator has been moved to its lowermost position, as shown in FIGURES 1C and 1D. The steps shown in FIGURES 1E and IF indicate the raised position of the' elevator lift 65 into whose lower level or deck 67 the next succeeding pair of packs 16 is fed when the stop plate 59 moves out of the way from its intercept position that occurs, but is not shown, between FIGURES 1D and 1E.

The packs are to be arranged in superposed pairs in carriers mounted on conveyor 44 and being fed in single spaced packs they must be accumulated in pairs as above explained and then moved at right angles in groups of fours. For this purpose use is made of the elevator and the stop means working in timed relation. The

elevator 56 comprises a bracket 68 suitably mounted on the frame between the conveyor belts 15 and presenting upper and lower twin arm portions 69 (FIGURES .2 and 4) between which extend vertical guide rods 71 on which is mounted, for vertical sliding movement, a pair of connected cylindrical sleeve members 72 each having an car 73 between which cars is pivoted the upper end of an adjustable connecting rod 74. The upper ends of the sleeve members 72 is connected by a cross plate 76 to which is securedan upper deck channel 77 and a lower spaced deck channel 78 providing the lift 65 having two levels, open at the opposite ends and one side, for receiving superposed twin packs of crackers '16. When the lift 65 is operated by the elevator 56, of which it is an integral part, it has a half raised position, as shown in FIGURE 1C, with the bottom of the rupperdeck channel 77 slightly below the level of the conveyor belts 15 so that the latter will propel two packs 16 into the upper deck channel 77 and hold them bearing against the side wall of the channel as seen in FIGURE 1D. When the elevator 56 moves up, the lift 65 rises until the bottom of'the lower deck channel 78 is positioned just'slightly below the level of the conveyor .belts 15 so that the latter will propel the next two packs 16 into the lower deck channel 78 and hold them bearing against the side wall of the channel as seen in FIGURES 1E and 1F. Thereafter the elevator moves the lift slightly above the level of the conveyor belts so that the pushing action of the latter 'is removed and the four packs can be shoved out of the channels 77 and 78, or off the lift, simultaneously, as will be later explained. The elevator provides means for altering the direction of travel of the packs as well as the arrangement of twin packs in two tiers or four packs as a square unit for further handling by a carton packing machine.

The elevator 56 is operated by a lever arm 79, pivoted as at 81 to a convenient part of the frame and having a roller 82 riding in 17 the cam slot 83 of a box cam 84 secured to shaft 51 on the other side of a plate 10 from cam 66. The lever arm 79 through a linking arm 79A and an adjustable connecting rod swings a rock arm 85, the hub 86 of which ('FIGURES 7-10A) -is suitably keyed to a stud shaft 87 mounted in the frame, and the rock arm is connected by a helical spring 88 with a switch arm 89 mounted for free rocking movement on said stud shaft 87 along with rock arm 85. The arm 89 carries a micro-switch 91 and at its free end is piv oted to the lower end of connecting rod 74. The free end of the rock arm 85 is offset as at 92 and carries two adjusting screws, one of which 93 engages the underside of the switch arm 89 to serve as a tensioning device for spring 88, and the other of which 94 engages the microswitch 91 which controls a signal or machine stopping mechanism not shown when the screw 94 moves away from the switch control button 95 as shown in FIG- URES 9 and 10A. In normal operation of the elevator, the switch arm 89 follows tthe movements of the rock arm 55, but should the elevator beobstructed in its downward movement by the catching of one or more packs of crackers in the lift the rock arm 85 would'contin-ue its downward movement and stretch the spring 88 to protect the elevator parts involved and separate the screw 94 from the micro-switch button 95 to allow the switch to break or make the circuit controlled thereby.

The stop means 57 and the elevator operate in proper timed relation and the lift is filled with packs 16 as described. In order to remove the packs 16 from the lift in their stacked four square relation, use is made of the cross collector mechanism 31 previously explained. Referring now to FIGURES l, 2, 4, 5 and 6 particularly, the chains 38 in cam plates or guides 34 and in the outer track member 42 are connected by cross-rods 96 at spaced points to support pushers 97, commonly referred to as flights, which act to push the assembled packs 16 in the lift out of the elevator (FIGURES 6A6D) and along a bed plate 98 to transfer receptacles or receivers 67 mounted on the belt 44 and which have lip portions 99 underlying the plate 98. The construction and operation of the pusher is an important factor and operates to propel a four square pile of packs and then get out of the way without touching the pile immediately following. Also, as the piles drop from the level of the lift to a lower plane, the pusher acts on the upper and lower pair of packs to compensate for the lag in dropping action of the upper pair so that the proper vertical stacked relation of the packs is maintained. To this end, the pusher 97 comprises an anchor member 101 pivoted to the chains as at 96 and 100 and having two depending portions 102 and 103 (FIGURE 5), the latter terminating along its lower edge in a segmental row of gear teeth 104 for meshing engagement with the circular toothed upper edge 105 of a pusher arm 106 from which projects, laterally, a pair of vertically spaced blades 107 and 103 for passage through the upper and lower deck channels 77 and 78, respectively, of the lift 65. The blade 107 is shaped to present a hollow, wide pad portion 109 while blade 108 is shaped to provide a hollow rounded pad portion 1'11. In FIGURE-S 6A and 6B the action of these pad portions 109 and 111 is shown in their coactive relation in easing the packs 16 out of the upper and lower deck parts of the lift 65. Both pads provide a friction slide surface for the wax paper used as covers for the crackers while the pad 109 is Wide enough to let the upper pack slide down gently and be seated on top of and in alignment with, the under pack so that breakage is guarded against when the upper pack, drops on to the lower pack as shown.

The pusher arm 106 (FIGURE 6) is pivoted in a cam bracket lever 112, which is pivoted to the anchor member as at 110, the arm 106 having its teeth 105 in mesh with the teeth 104 of anchor member 101. The lever 112 has a stud extension 112A carrying a stud 112B on which is pivoted pusher arm 106. The lever 112 also carries a roller 113 riding in a cam slot 114 of the plate 34 to provide for a predetermined swinging motion of the pusher as depicted in FIGURES 4 through 6D. The anchor member 101 is pivoted as at 100 to the chain and has a forked section in engagement with the cross rod 96. The chains travel in the direction indicated in FIGURE 4 and the upper pusher ha its arm 106 held at an oblique, out of the way, position, by the action of the straight section 116 of the cam slot 114. As the cam roller on lever 112 rides the inclined portion 117 it swings the arm 106 in counterclockwise direction until it assumes a vertical position as it engages the ends of the stacked packs 16 in the elevator. A gradual decline in the cam track as at 118 causes a slight rising movement of the arm to give the combined pushing and wiping action above referred to. The oblique section 119 of the cam slot 114 causes a sharp retractile action of the arm when the packs have reached the end of their pusher propelled travel as seen in FIGURES 6C and 6D with the result that the pusher quickly gets out of the way of any following stacks of packs. The chains 38, at one end pass over sprocket wheels 120 (FIGURE 4) having a hub 121 through which passes a shaft 122, for passage through a suitable hole in the frame plate 12 to be journalled in a bearing 123 (FIGURES 1 and 4). The latter is suspended by arms 124 from a hub 125, mounted for swinging movement on a cross-bar 126, and

having an arm 127 disposed between adjusting screws 128 supported in any suitable manner on the frame. This structure provides a means for tensioning the chains 38 to take up wear and to maintain the proper action of the pushers with respect to the cam track 114 of the guide plate 34.

It is evident that the stop 57 acts as a means for accumulating two or more packages which, in the present case, are released in pairs to be moved by the conveyor 15 to the lift which constitutes a package assembling lift and change of direction means and from which lift a group of four packages arranged in square formation are passed in unison by the cross-collector or transfer unit 31 to another conveying means leading to a package encasing carton section of the machine.

The invention is not to be restricted to the precise details of construction shown since various changes and modifications may be made therein Without departing from thescope of the invention or sacrificing the advantages to be derived from its use.

What is claimed is:

1. In a machine for preparing packages of crackers for cartoning, conveyor means including a single belt along which spaced packs of wrapped crackers are carried, means coacting with said belt for periodically accumulating a predetermined number of packs thereon, means for releasing each predetermined number of packs successively from said accumulating means, an elevator including upper and lower deck means to which upper and lower deck means the accumulated packs are successively fed by said conveying means after they are released, and transfer means passing through said deck means at right angles to said belt for passing the packs in unison from the upper and lower lift means simultaneously and to another conveying means.

2. In a machine for preparing packages of crackers for cartoning, conveyor means presenting a belt along which spaced packs of wrapped crackers are carried, means coacting with said conveyor means for accumulating a predetermined number of packs at a given point, means for releasing said number of packs simultaneously from said accumulating means, a pack assembly elevator means including upper and lower deck portions movable successively into horizontal alignment with said belt and to which elevator the accumulated packs are fed for stacking arrangement by said conveying means after they are released, and transfer means passing through said deck portions for passing the packs in stacked arrangement and in unison from the assembly elevator means to another conveying means.

3. In a machine for preparing packages of crackers for 4. A machine according to claim 3 in which the pack assembling means includes an elevator and lower and upper lift sections on said elevator for receiving said packs, and means for raising and lowering said elevator to bring said upper and lower deck sections successively into alignment with said conveyor means.

5. A machine according to claim 3 in which the lower and upper lift sections on said elevator are adapted to be moved vertically to receive one pair of packs in each of said sections.

6. In a machine for preparing crackers for cartoning, conveyor means including a single reach of laterally spaced parallel horizontal belts along which prewrapped packs of crackers are carried in spaced relation, means between. said belts for arresting the movement of said packs until a predetermined number have been accumulated against said arresting means, an elevator means presenting lower and upper deck portions, means for raising and lowering the elevator whereby on a rising movement the upper and lower deok portionswill be in horizontal alignment successively with said. belts toeach receive a predetermined number of packs fed by the belts for arranging the packs in superposed paired stacked relationship, and means for removing saidpacks simultaneously at right angles to said belts from said deck portions and advancing them to another conveyor means.

7. A machine according to claim 6 in which the elevator means includes guide means, sleeve members on the guide means disposed in the path of said conveyor means and to which sleeve means are mounted said lift section, separable rock arm and switch arm combination means for vertically oscillating said sleeve means, a spring between said rock and switch arms providing for continued movement of the switch arm when the movement of said elevator means is interrupted, and a switch on said rockarm actuated by said switch arm when it separates from the rock arm for indicating an interrupted condition of operation of said elevator means.

8. A machine according to claim 6 in which the means for removing the'packs from the elevator means includes a cam plate, a sprocket chain, means for mounting the chain on said cam plate, means -'for driving the chain, a

cam slot in the cam plate, pushers pivotally mounted on said chain for removing the packs from the elevator means and having cam slot engaging lever means, pusher arms pivoted on said lever means for engaging said packs for moving the same simultaneously, and means controlled by the relative action of said lever means and the cam slot for adjusting the pushing action of said pusher arms.

9. A machine according to claim 3 in which said means for passing the packs from said assembly means includes chain conveyor means, means for operating said conveyor means, a cam plate having a cam slot adjacent said chain conveyor means, and upon which cam plate said chain conveyor means is mounted, pusher means mounted on and travelling with said chain conveyor means and including depending blades for pushing engagement with said paired stacks, and a lever engaging said cam slot for controlling the pushing action of said blades.

10. A machine according to claim 3 in which said means for passing the packs includes chain conveying means, pushers carried by said chain means and each pusher including a depending arm having laterally disposed blades for moving engagement with said paired packs, one of said blades presenting a rectangular pad portion for engagement with the uppermost pair of packs and the other of said blades presenting a rounded pad portion for engagement with the lowermost pair of packs, said pads coacting to vertically align the packs as they are passed from said assembly meansand dropped to a lower level.

11. A machine according to claim 2 in which said transfer means includes a slotted cam plate having angularly disposed portions, sprocket wheels on said plate, an endless chain about said sprocket wheels, means for driving said chain, a pusher means carried by said chain including anchor means having a roller riding in the chain, a lever means pivoted to said cam slot, a pusher arm pivoted to said lever means, each of said pusher arm and lever means having meshing teeth whereby a rocking movement of said lever means caused by the movement of the roller in an angular portion of the cam slot will swing said pusher arm into and out of operating engagem nt wi h the stacks to pass the same from said assembly means.

' continuously moving conveyor belt means arranged side by side and closely spaced at adjacent longitudinal ends for continuously feeding spaced packs, a stop means coacting with one of the conveyor belt means for accumulating a pair of packs against said stop means, without disturbing the spaced relation of following packs, means for operating said stop means to release each successively accumulated pair of packs, and elevator means presenting different deck levels each for holding a single pair of packs and to each of which deck levels an accumulated pair of packs is advanced upon release operation of said stop means, and means for pushing the pair of packs accumulated on each deck level out of said elevator means.

13. In a machine for preparing prewrapp'ed packs of linear spaced relation for feeding spaced packs lying athwart said belt means, pack pairing means including a stop means between the reaches of said belt means for arresting the feeding movement of said packs, cam controlled means for actuating said stop means to release the packs when one pair is in position against the stop means, elevator means including a lift having lower and upper decks, means for vertically oscillating said elevator to bring the decks of the lift successively into horizontal alignment with the belt means and with the packs released by the stop means, cross collector means for feeding the packs from the upper and lower decks of the elevator means simultaneously and means for coordinating the operation of said stop means, said elevator and said cross collector means whereby the packs have uninterrupted passage through the machine.

14. A machine according to claim 13 in which said elevator means includes reciprocable sleeve means for lowering and raising the lift, a cam operated rock arm means for actuating said sleeve means, a switch arm, a spring connection between the rock arm and the switch 'arm for yielda-bly connecting them for operation together,

a switch on said arm, stud means on the rock arm for operating engagement with said switch when the arms are operating together, and said spring connection yielding to provide for operation of said rock arm to control said switch when said sleeve means is blocked in its operation.

15. A machine according to claim 13 in which the cross-collector means includes cam plate and guide means, endless sprocket chains, sprocket gears for driving said chains, pusher means carried by the chains and having pusher arms for moving the packs out of the elevator and along-a bed plate to another conveyor means, cam means in the plate and guide means for controlling the operation of the pusher means, and means on said pusher arms for maintaining the packs of a pair in vertical alignment when the pair drop to the bed plate from the elevator.

16. In a machine for preparing pre-Wrapped packs of crackers for cartoning, conveyor belt means presenting laterally horizontal parallelspaced belt reaches across which the packs are supported during travel, a stop means between the reaches of the belt for accumulating a pair of packs, an elevator means having upper and lower deck portions and operable between the reaches of the belt for lifting pairs of packs in superposed relation, means for operating said stop means and said elevator means in coordination to provide for feed of said pairs of packs from the stop means to and into each of said elevator deck means, a cross collector constitutinga change of direction means for moving the pairs of packs out of the elevator at the same time and at right angles to the direction of travel of said conveyor belt, means, and drive means common to said conveyor belt. means and, said cross collector.

17. A machine according to claim 16 in which the References Cited by the Examiner cross collector includes a continuous chain drive, sup- UNITED STATES PATENTS A port means in which an end of said chain drive is mounted 2,047,272 7/1936 Kimball et a1 53*164 X including a hub, a bearing for the hub, arm means for 5 2,553,683 5/1951 Smith 19835 suspending the hub for swinging movement, and adjust- 2,815,848 12/1957 Jones 19835 ing means for controlling said swinging movement to con- EVON C. BLUNK, Primary Examiner. dition the chain drive and cross collector for efiicient AM EL F- COLEMAN, Examin r. operation. R. KRISHER, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN A MACHINE FOR PREPARING PACKAGES OF CRACKERS FOR CARTONING, CONVEYOR MEANS INCLUDING A SINGLE BELT ALONG WHICH SPACED PACKS OF WRAPPED CRACKERS ARE CARRIED, MEANS COACTING WITH SAID BELT FOR PERIODICALLY ACCUMULATING A PREDETERMINED NUMBER OF PACKS THEREON, MEANS FOR RELEASING EACH PREDETERMINED NUMBER OF PACKS SUCDESSIVELY FROM SAID ACCUMULTING MEANS, AN ELEVATOR INCLUDING UPPER AND LOWER DECK MEANS TO WHICH UPPER AND LOWER DECK MEANS THE ACCUMULATED PACKS ARE SUCCESSIVE LY FED BY SAID CONVEYING MEANS AFTER THEY ARE RELEASED, AND TRANSFER MEANS PASSING THROUGH SAID DECK MEANS AT RIGHT ANGLES TO SAID BELT FOR PASSING THE PACKS IN UNISON FROM THE UPPER AND LOWER LIFT MEANS SIMULTANEOUSLY AND TO ANOTER CONVEYING MEANS. 